𓇽
I'm smoking while I'm runnin' on my treadmill
But I'm cutting up roses
Could it be that I fell for another loser
I'm crying while I'm cummin'
Making love while I'm making good money
Sobbin' in my cup of coffee
'Cause I fell for another loser
In My Feelings, Lana Del Rea
𓇽
Everyone made their way inside to start drying off, more specially Belly and Conrad. Once Belly was inside she was a glimpse of Conrad carrying Violet on his shoulder, Violet was laughing and trying to get out of Conrads hold.
Isabel looked back to Laurel and Susannah who were smiling as they watched the couple go up stairs. "When did that happen?" Belly asked Susannah.
Susannah turned to look at Belly. "About 3 years ago, your mom and I went to go watch Violet play softball in Florida and then they told us that the where dating." Susannah said smiling recalling the memory. "We even went with her family to Arizona to watch her play."
Belly look at her mom confused not remembering when that had happened. "What do you mean you went to Florida?"
Laurel turned to look at Belly. "Well, while you were with Taylor at Volleyball camp, the Edwards invited us to come to Violets showcase. It was a big deal but you said you wanted to stay back for Volleyball so I let you."
So, that was the big trip to Florida, watching Violet play softball the whole week. Clearly she didn't miss much of the trip then. However, she wondered how she never picked up on Conrad dating Violet.
But when Belly truly thought about it, she had hardly seen Violet over that past 3 years and Conrad had always seem to come and go. She just assumed it had something to do with football or hanging out with some other friends. She never thought that it would have to do with her.
Isabel had finally had enough about hearing about Violet and Conrad and made her way up stairs to change. This was finally going to be the summer that her and Conrad got together. In her mind she was finally pretty enough and was going to step out of that little sister shadow.
But that wasn't going to happen with Violet Edwards in his life. Isabel could already see how much Conrad had adored her, he only had eyes for her or maybe he never looked anywhere else in the first place. It was alway Violet.
𓇽
In Conrad's room he was taking a shower while Violet was organizing their cloths. She had one of her's and Conrad's playlist playing in the back ground, as she hummed along to one of the songs. Once she was do with Conrads cloths, she grabbed her things and started moving them into the drawers.
She stopped when she saw a purple lingerie in the suitcase, something she knew she didn't pack. Violet then saw a note attached to it from Clara, "have fun with your man, thank me later :)". Violet laughed at the note, but then stiffened up when she felt arms wrap around her.
"That's cute, when did you get that?" Conrad asked her, as she turned around to face him. He took it from her hands and held it up against her as she struck a pose.
Conrad laughed and put it on the bed. "I didn't buy that, Clara did and threw it in my suitcase telling me to have fun and thank me later." Violet explained to her boyfriend. She then realized that Conrad wasn't wearing a shirt and smiled staring at his abs.
"You like what you see?" He asked as he gestured to his abs and his grey sweatpants. Violet bit her lip slightly trying not to smile.
Violet nodded her head. "Yeah, I like what I see." She walked up to him wrapping her arms around his neck and his went around her waist. "I have a small feeling that Isabel doesn't like me to much." Violet mumbled into his neck.
"Why do you say that?" He asked moving his head so he could see her better. Conrad felt her shrug against his chest. Conrad knew what was running through her head he always did. "It is okay if she does, you have me, Jere, Steven, my mom, Laurel, we all love."
Violet nodded against his chest and smiled against his chest. "I love you, you know that right. Like you are so perfect, don't let anyone else tell you diffident." Violet said looking into his eyes, while her hands played with the back of Conrads hair.
Conrad smiled hearing her words. "Where is this coming from?" He asked her as she shrugged.
"I just want you to know that you are loved and that I will always be here with you. It's you and me forever and always." She said smiling slightly.
Conrad kissed her lips and smiled. "I love you, always and forever. You are the only girl for me." He kissed her again this time deepening it.
The couple slowly moved backwards until they fell onto the bed. This made out for a while unaware that a young 15 year old girl was watching them with disgust. Violet and Conrad didn't even notice nor have a care in the world. They just wanted to be together.
𓇽
An hour or so later the couple made were way down stairs for dinner. Conrad pulled out the chair beside him for Violet to sit, she smiled sitting down. Jeremiah on the other hand was making kissing noises mimicking Conrad and calling him a simp. That left to Conrad flipping off his brother.
Isabel was the last to come down stairs, see there was only one chair left she was shocked. She always sat next to Conrad, while Violet would sit next to Susannah when she came over for the summer.
With a sad face she sat next to Susannah. She watched as the couple laughed at something that was on Violets phone. Conrad then took the phone out of her hand and started texting someone causing Violet to laugh even more.
"Steven, I swear to go if you look at the phone one more time, I am going to toss it into the ocean." Laurel sighed annoyed at her oldest.
"It's that I just want to see your beautiful faces." Susannah smiled sweetly. "You know like the good old days, where screens weren't used."
"Steven." Jeremiah poked him with his finger, Steven didn't care what both of the mothers had said. That was until Jere stole the phone from Steven.
"Dude, are you kidding me," Steven said throwing his hands up annoyed with Jere.
"Boom! Nailed it!" Jere shouted when he threw the phone onto a fluffy chairs beside Violet. Violet smiled and laughed slightly at her friend. He then pointed to Violet and flexed his muscles.
Steven rolled his eyes at him, "Okay, okay, okay, okay, we get it you have been working out." He then looked across the table, "How come Vi and Conrad get to be on their phones?"
Violet took the phone from Conrad and placed it screen down. "Sorry about that, we were trying to set up a time for Carter to call." The moms smiled being okay with it.
They knew how close the Edwards siblings were and were okay with her finding a time to call her brother.
Changing the subject Belly said, "You are just jealous that Jere has a better body than you." Making fun of her brother, her goal was to get them to stop focusing on Violet.
Steven shook his head. "Uh, no actually, it is all about the lean look, because otherwise you can't wear tailored suits." Steven explained.
"Sure, sure."
"Tailored suits." Violet mocked Steven causing him to throw a bread roll at her, making Conrad laugh at his friend, and girlfriend.
"When are you leaving for training camp man? I mean, Carters already there I thought that you would go with him?" Steven ask, Violet knew that Conrad had quiet football for one reason but not the other. He told her he would tell her when he was ready and she respected it.
The rest of the Fisher's went quite, not knowing how to respond. Violet gave Conrads hand a squeeze telling hime that it would be okay.
"He, uh, he quite football." Jeremiah explained to the Conklin family. No one said anything for quite a while.
𓇽
Isabel looked over at Violet thinking that she was the reason that he would have quiet. In her mind Conrad had always loved football, she thought that he could have easily gone pro.
"Really, are you kidding me man?" Steven asked shocked not expecting that ether. "I would kill to have the chance to play collage football."
Susannah smiled slightly. "He can always change his mind." She said as Conrad rolled his eyes.
"I am not going to change my mind." He said as he looked down at his hand seeing Violet rubbing her thumb across the top of his hand. "I was just going to sit on the bench anyways."
Laurel then tried to break the tension. "What will you be doing then? If you are not doing football all summer." She asked.
"I can answer that." Jere said with a smile on his face. "He will be doing Vio.." but before he could finish he got hit in the head with a bread bun. He looked up at Violet seeing her smiling at him.
"You could work at the club with me and Jere if you wanna." Steven said smiling, Jere nodded his head eating the bun that Violet had thrown at him.
Conrad shook his head. "Yeah, I am good. I am going to be spending time with my lovely girlfriend."
"Wait." Belly cut in, ignoring what Conrad had said. "You guys are going to be working all summer?"
Steven and Jere nodded. "Yep, I am going to be working at the snack shop and Jere-Bear is going to be a lifeguard." Steven smiled proudly.
"Oh, Belly, I almost forgot, I have a surprise for you," Susannah laughed turning their attention to her as she got up to grab something.
"That's why you had to stop at the country club," Laurel sighed knowing what she was going to ask of her daughter. Everyone waited for Susannah to return to the table.
"I have one for you too, Vi," Susannah said, handing both girls an white envelope. Violet looked at Conrad with a questioning look seeing if her had any idea what it was, but all he did was shrug.
"What is it?" Steven asked, watching Violet open up the letter.
"I competed for invitations from Vi and Belly to be debutantes," said the blonde woman.
"Is this the thing where girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" Belly frowned while Violet smiled. She was planning on going back again this year, she enjoyed it last year.
"It's when a girl comes of age and is introduced to society." Susannah explained. "I know it sounds silly, but I swear it's fun. Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it, you'll make so many new friends."
"I did it last year, it was so much fun." Violet said smiling at Susannah. "I was going to do it again but I thought I registered too late."
"I can't believe you're still holding on to this dream," Laurel scoffed, shaking her head.
"No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it's all about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself, and it benefits charity. It's, uh, It's like a bat mitzvah."
"It's not like a bat mitzvah. There's nothing religious about a debutante ball." Violet said smiling and laughing slightly at Susannah.
𓇽
All Conrad could focus on while his mother spoke was Violet, watching her smile while listening to his mother talk about it. He knew that she was going to go again but he hated the dancing but it made her happy so he was going to take her again.
"The whole deb scene is bullshit, it's for the sheep." Conrad cut in looking at his mom. Susannah smile faltered a little with what her son had said. Violet reached to hit him in the back of the head lightly. He then whispered into her ear, "Remember you are a pretty sheep."
That caused Violet to roll her eyes and laugh slightly. "Be nice to your mom, Conrad." He nodded and turned back to his mom smiling.
"No, that is not what it is. It's when a girl comes out, it's a formal acknowledgment that she has reached maturity." Susannah sighed, looking at Conrad disappointedly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, mature? Belly?" Steven laughed as he looked at his sister. Belly looked at he brother confused thinking that she was mature. "A few months ago you had a cat funeral. You made us all wear black."
"Shut up, Steven," Belly cried. "I saw you crying in your room."
"Wait, Mochi is dead?" Jeremiah asked. "Dang, I'm sorry, Bells."
"Don't you want to get dressed?" Susannah sighed dreamily as she looked at the girls.
"It's just not the Belly's kind of thing," Laurel spoke on her daughter's behalf. "She is our little feral little alley cat."
"I'll think about it." Belly finally decided, she just wanted to make Susannah happy.
"She'll think about it," Susannah smiles proudly, she was happy that the two of her girls were going to do it. "And Vi, you are still doing it right?"
"Of course, Auntie Anna. All of my friends are doing this year. I can't wait." Violet said smiling as Susannah smiled.
𓇽
Got me up in this place right now
Making me feel so much drama
Got me up in this place now
I can feel warmer
Got me feeling so blue
Make a mess of the love
Got me living now
𓇽